Systems and methods for thrust-vectored practical fluid flow effects

Abstract

An amusement park attraction effects system includes a dynamic display for viewing by a user traveling through an attraction, a display monitor to provide status data indicative of a status of the dynamic display, a location identification system to determine a location of the user, a thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to generate and direct a fluid flow toward any particular target location of a range of target locations, and an automation controller communicatively coupled to the display monitor, the location identification system, and the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator. The automation controller is configured to receive the status data, receive the location of the user, set a target location based on the location of the user, instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the fluid flow based on the target location, and instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to control the fluid flow based on the status data.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An amusement park attraction effects system, comprising:
 a dynamic display configured for viewing by a user traveling through an attraction; 
 a display monitor configured to monitor changes to the dynamic display and provide status data indicative of a status of the dynamic display; 
 a location identification system configured to determine a location of the user; 
 a thrust-vectoring flow effect generator configured to generate and direct a fluid flow toward any particular target location of a range of target locations within the attraction; and 
 an automation controller communicatively coupled to the display monitor, the location identification system, and the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator, wherein the automation controller is configured to:
 receive the status data provided by the display monitor; 
 receive the location of the user provided by the location identification system; 
 set a target location based on the location of the user, wherein the target location is within the range of target locations; 
 instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the fluid flow based on the target location; and 
 instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to control the fluid flow based on the status data. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to adjust a temperature of the fluid flow or a shape of the fluid flow in response to instructions from the automation controller based on the status data. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to adjust a speed and direction of the fluid flow by modifying a configuration of a nozzle of the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator in response to instructions from the automation controller based on the status data. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the location identification system is configured to determine the location as including a location of a portion of the user and the automation controller is configured to adjust the target location based on the location of the portion of the user. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the location of the portion of the user corresponds to an area of exposed skin or a body part of the user. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to generate one or more pulses of compressed air as the fluid flow. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the location identification system comprises a camera configured to capture an image of a user, and wherein the location identification system is configured to determine an orientation of the user based on the image. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the automation controller is configured to instruct the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the fluid flow based on the orientation of the user. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thrust-vectoring flow effect generator is configured to control the fluid flow by including one or more of fog, smoke, or water droplets. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , comprising a portable device configured to be carried by the user and configured to generate a signal, wherein the location identification system comprises a sensor configured to sense the location of the user based on the signal. 
     
     
       11. An amusement park attraction effects system, comprising:
 a dynamic display configured for viewing by a plurality of users; 
 a display monitor configured to monitor changes to the dynamic display and provide status data indicative of a status of the dynamic display; 
 a location identification system configured to determine a plurality of locations of the plurality of users; 
 an array of thrust-vectoring flow effect generators comprising a first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator and a second thrust-vectoring flow effect generator, the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator configured to generate and direct a first fluid flow toward a first target location of a range of target locations and the second thrust-vectoring flow effect generator configured to generate and direct a second fluid flow toward a second target location of the range of target locations; and 
 an automation controller communicatively coupled to the display monitor, the location identification system, and the array, wherein the automation controller is configured to:
 receive the status data provided by the display monitor; 
 receive the plurality of locations of the plurality of users provided by the location identification system; 
 set the first target location and the second target location based on the plurality of locations of the plurality of users; and 
 instruct the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the first fluid flow based on the first target location; and 
 instruct the second thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the second fluid flow based on the second target location. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the automation controller is configured to instruct the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to direct the first fluid flow based on the status data. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the automation controller is configured to instruct the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator to control the first fluid flow based on the first target location. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first target location and the second target location are the same. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first thrust-vectoring flow effect generator comprises a nozzle configured to direct the first fluid flow via asymmetric or symmetric modification to a shape of the nozzle. 
     
     
       16. An amusement park attraction effects system, comprising:
 a head-mounted virtual reality (VR) device comprising an electronic display configured to display an image to a user of the head-mounted VR device; 
 a user sensing system of the head-mounted VR device, the user sensing system configured to detect a location and orientation of the user and output data indicative of the location and orientation; 
 an directed airflow generator configured to generate an air effect and direct the air effect to a target location; and 
 an automation controller communicatively coupled to the user sensing system and the directed airflow generator, wherein the automation controller is configured to:
 receive the data output by the user sensing system; 
 determine, based on the location and the orientation indicated by the data, the target location for directing the air effect; and 
 control the directed airflow generator to direct the air effect towards the target location. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the automation controller is configured to control the directed airflow generator to coordinate a timing of providing the airflow with a VR presentation being provided by the head-mounted VR device. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the automation controller is configured to control a heating element or a cooling element to change a temperature of the air effect based on a VR presentation being provided by the head-mounted VR device. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 16 , comprising a plurality of directed airflow generators each configured to direct a corresponding airflow to a respective target location within a respective range of locations. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the directed airflow generator comprises a matrix of smaller directed airflow generators, each of the smaller directed airflow generators configured to produce a pulse of compressed air as the air effect; and 
 the automation controller is configured to change a pattern of the air effect.